School Internet Security Solutions FAQs

NGL supplies a package of hardware, software and support services that make up a complete internet safety solution for schools. The package includes all the required security software updates for a 3 year period, plus a hardware warranty for the same 3 year period.

The package provides a combination of internet filtering, firewalling, and anti-virus scanning. Working together, this array of safety measures known as Unified Threat Management (UTM) provides a greater degree of safety than just simple filtering services as provided in the past.

However, if schools choose just to run part of the overall solution e.g. just internet filtering NetPilot is still an excellent choice on performance, quality and cost grounds.

Five Schools packs are available depending of size of the school installed base of PCs:

• Up to 50 PCs – Ideal for smaller primary schools

• Up to 100 PCs – Ideal for larger primary and middle Schools

• Up to 250 PCs – Ideal for smaller secondary schools

• Up to 500 PCs – Ideal for larger secondary schools

• Up to 1000 PCs – Ideal for very large secondary schools and colleges

NetPilot is very flexible in that it can operate entirely alone. It is the complete safety system trusted by a wide variety of organisations. Alternatively if schools need to connect to filtered internet feeds provided by their LA or other parties it happily works in that environment too!

NetPilot is complete it has all the elements – not just internet filtering. So for some schools left with no or little support and advice from their LA, NetPilot offers a ‘one-stop’ solution for a number of problems.

NetPilot allows individual schools to set their own security policies at a price they want to pay – rather than having to adopt central policies at sometimes a centrally defined high overhead.

What advantages does NetPilot have for Local Authorities?

Local Authorities have had a tough time trying to continue to provide cost-effective services to schools with ever decreasing budgets and diminishing numbers of staff. By supplying, or more often recommending NetPilot to individual or groups schools, LAs can be assured they are offering a proven solution, which is cost-effective and conveniently addresses a number of security issues.

As an internet filtering solution – Why is NetPilot different?

Internet filtering solutions for schools have been provided for many years. Typically they have operated either with a large list of categorised undesirable sites or have implemented a mechanism for ‘intelligently’ scanning and then blocking the content of web pages being displayed to pupils and staff if deemed unsuitable.

NetPilot is different in that it employs both techniques. It utilises a huge high-quality list from one of the security industry giants – McAfee plus it implements content filtering. Content filtering allows uncategorised pages not appearing in the list to be scanned for undesirable content. In addition NetPilot enforces Google and Bing SafeSearch mechanisms which prevent undesirable images and pages being displayed.

NetPilot is also different to many solutions by being installed in-school. So rather than some distant centrally based ‘one-solution-fits-all’ approach, each NetPilot school is directly and locally protected. In addition the effectively free benefits of having local in-school firewalling and gateway anti-virus scanning provides a much more secure environment.